Retainer for floating debris

ABSTRACT

A floating retainer for water carried debris of various types, including liquid debris such as oil from ships, offshore drilling operations, and the like. The retainer includes an elongated vertically orientatable gathering skirt, the upper edge of which defines an elongated pocket for the reception of buoyant float material. The lower edge defines a ballast-receiving pocket. Interengaging male and female ends are provided in conjunction with joining collars for the tying together of two or more retainers.

United States Patent Carl E. Renner 3824 Rachel. Port Arthur, Tex. 77640 APPl- No. 855,530

Filed Sept. 5, l969 Patented July 13, 1971 inventor RETAINER ron FLOATING DEBRIS 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S.CI 61/1 Iut.Cl E02b 15/04 FleldofSearch ..6l/l,lF,5,

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 94,595 7/1959 Norway l60/5 Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A floating retainer for water carried debris of various types, including liquid debris such as oil from ships, offshore drilling operations, and the like. The retainer includes an elongated vertically orientatable gathering skirt, the upper edge of which defines an elongated pocket for the reception of buoyant float material. The lower edge defines a ballast-receiving pocket. lnterengaging male and female ends are provided in conjunction with joining collars for the tying together of two or more retainers.

PATENTED JUL 1 3 I971 SHEET 1 BF 2 Carl E. Renne r PATENTEI] JUL] 3197:

SHEET 2 OF 2 Carl E. Renner IN VIiN'l'OK.

RETAINER FOR FLOATING DEBRIS The invention herein is generally concerned with the gathering, retention and removal of floating debris of various types, and more particularly relates to a floating retainer capable of being extended over a predetermined body of water in a manner so as to catch and retain debris therein.

While debris retainers of the same general type as herein contemplated are known, such retainers incorporate many disadvantages which affect the use and efficiency thereof. For example, the basically heavy and bulkynature of the known retainers make both the storage and handling thereof difficult. By the same token, notwithstanding the weight and bulk of these retainers, such often incorporate a relatively low tensile strength, both in the individual sections and in the joining portions, thus limiting the lengths which can be effectively used, both as a standing barrier and as a towed gathering unit.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a unique retainer which avoids the deficiencies noted supra. More particularly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a retainer which is capable of being rolled, coiled, or placed on reels for easy compact storage. By the same token, the retainer of the instant invention is to combine both a high tensile strength, approximately 4,200 pounds per square inch, with a light weight of approximately 18 ounces per running foot whereby one man can easily handle up to 100 feet of the retainer, and the retainer towed in sections of up to 2 miles in length.

In conjunction with the above objects, it is also a significant object of the instant invention to provide a retainer which is economical to manufacture and of ahighly durable nature.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a top plan view of a section of a debris gathering barrier formed by utilizing the retainer of the instant invention, the barrier being anchored in a fixed location;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the retainer of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the joined ends of a pair of adjacent retainers;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the adjoining male and female ends of a pair of adjacent retainers.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the retainer comprising the instant invention. The retainer 10, normally constructed in lengths of approximately 54 feet, includes a full length 10 inch retaining skirt 12, an upper float section 14, and a lower ballast section 16.

The retainer 10 is formed utilizing, preferably, a sheet of 14 ounce cotton canvas, treated so as to be water, mildew and rot resistant, folded so as to define a circular float material receiving pocket 18 from which a pair of adjacent skirt forming panels 20 depend. One of the panels 20 is substantially wider than the other panel with the lower edge portion thereof being upwardly folded so as to define a flap 22 which overlies the outer face of the second panel, and at the same time provides a full-length ballast retaining pocket 24 along the lower edge of the skirt 12. The depending panels 20 are stitched together immediately below the pocket 18, normally by at least two rows of stitching 26. In addition, stitching 28 is also provided along the skirt 12 above the ballast portion 16 and through both the two panels 20 and the overlying panel flap 22 which flap, incidentally, is approximately 3 inches in height.

The float material-receiving pocket 18 is approximately 4 inches in diameter and preferably filled with expanded polyethylene foam. The ballast 30, received within the full length ballast pocket 28 of the ballast section 16, is preferably %-inch diameter lead wire, the weight thereof being sufficient so as to, in combination with the float section 14, properly orientate the retainer 10 for the interception and gathering of floating debris of various types.

The retainer 10 includes a male end 32 and a female end 34, the canvas material, at both ends, being inwardly folded and stitched so as to define reinforced end portions. The aforedescribed retainer construction, including the float material, ballast 30, panel flap 22 and stitching, is continuous within the male end 32. At the female end 34, on the contrary, the float material, ballast wire, panel flap and stitching terminate approximately 6 inches short of the extreme end, providing in effect a mouth for the reception of the male end therein as will be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. Each of the skirtforming panels 20, at the female end, is provided with a pair of vertically spaced 36-inch brass grommets 36 which, upon the reception of the male end 32 of an adjacent retainer 10 therein, align with and to the opposite sides of a pair of vertically spaced 36-inch grommets 38 through the stitched panels at the male end 32, the lower one of the grommets 38 actually extending through the upwardly directed panel flap 22. It will of course be appreciated that the male end grommets 38 are positioned inwardly from the extreme end of the retainer 10 approximately 6 inches for alignment with the two pairs of grommets 38 orientated quite closely adjacent the extreme end of the retainer 10 at the female end 34. In addition, it will be noted that the canvas sheet is double stitched in alignment with the various grommets so as to provide additional reinforcing thereabout, the retainer also being provided with a double row of stitching transversely thereacross at and in alignment with the foreshortened end of the flap 22 at the female end 34. The actual securing together of the telescopically internested end portions of the panels 20 of a pair of adjacent retainers 10 to be joined end to end is effected by utilizing %-inch nylon rope 40 extended and tied therethrough as indicated in FIG. 3.

The basic retainer 10, at the opposed ends 32 and 34, is also provided with a pair of outwardly directed joining collars 42. Each collar, positioned about the float-receiving pocket 18, has the inner edge 44 thereof inwardly and reversely turned and permanently stitched to the pocket forming canvas. The second edge 46 of each collar 42 opens toward the corresponding extreme end of the retainer 10 and is unsecured and relatively wide, appropriate edge notches 48 being provided therein so as to enable a slight spreading of this edge as compared to the tightly held and stitched securing edge of the collar. Finally, each collar is provided with a series of %-inch diameter brass grommets 50 mounted peripherally therein just inward of the open mouth forming edge 46. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 in particular, the collars 42 are so orientated on the respective ends so as to, upon the telescopic mounting of the adjoining ends of a pair of retainers 10, one collar 42 is telescopically received within the collar 42 on the adjoining retainer with the collar grommets 50 aligning for the extension of appropriate binding nylon rope 52 therethrough. This rope 52 can, rather than being separate from the panel securing rope 40, actually constitute a continuation thereof. Incidentally, it will be appreciated that the opposed sides of each of the collars 42, as it encircles the float section 14, terminate at the skirt I2 and are left unsecured for the telescopic reception of one collar within the other.

With reference to FIG. 1, it will be noted that one contemplated use of the retainer of the instant invention is in conjunction with a plurality of similar retainers in the formation of an elongated barrier secured to anchors 54 by appropriate anchor cables 56 engaged between the anchors 54 and grommeted anchor straps 58 stitched to and depending from the retainer skirts 12 at spaced points along the individual retainers 10.

From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that a highly unique retainer for floating debris has been defined. This 

1. A retainer for floating debris, said retainer comprising an elongated depending skirt having upper and lower edges, a float section defined longitudinally along the upper edge of the skirt, a ballast section defined longitudinally along the lower edge of the skirt, a first- male-joining end defined at one end of said retainer, a second female-joining end defined at the second end of the retainer, said female-joining end being of a size and configuration so as to telescopically receive the male end of an adjoining retainer, means associated with said ends for interconnecting a pair of telescoped ends, said retainer being formed of an elongated flexible sheet longitudinally folded to define a skirt forming pair of adjacent panels bounded along the upper edge by a longitudinally extending enlarged pocket constituting a portion of the float section and a relatively smaller longitudinally extending pocket along the lower edges of the panel for the reception of ballast, said second pocket constituting a portion of the ballast section, means for securing the skirt-defining panels together along substantially the full length thereof, float means received within the first-mentioned pocket, said float means, ballast and securing means terminating short of the second female-joining end for enabling the reception of the first male-joining end therein, a pair of cooperating securing collars, one collar mounted on and surrounding the float section adjacent each end of the retainer, said collars each having an inner edge fixed to the float section And an unsecured outer edge directed toward the corresponding end of the retainer, said collars being adapted to telescopically engage with the corresponding collars on adjacent retainers upon an interengagement of the male and female-joining ends thereon, and means associated with said collars for interconnecting a pair of telescoped collars.
 2. The retainer of claim 1 wherein the second mentioned pocket is defined by a longitudinally extending upwardly turned integral flap along the lower edge of one of said panels, said flap underlying the second panel and extending along the outer face thereof.
 3. The retainer of claim 2 including a plurality of anchor straps fixed to the retainer and depending therebelow at longitudinally spaced points therealong.
 4. A retainer for floating debris, said retainer comprising an elongated depending skirt having upper and lower edges, a float section defined longitudinally along the upper edge of the skirt, a ballast section defined longitudinally along the lower edge of the skirt, a first male-joining end defined at one end of said retainer, a second female-joining end defined at the second end of the retainer, said female-joining end being of a size and configuration so as to telescopically receive the male end of an adjoining retainer, means associated with said ends for interconnecting a pair of telescoped ends, a pair of cooperating securing collars, one collar mounted on and surrounding the float section adjacent each end of the retainer, said collars each having an inner edge fixed to the float section and an unsecured outer edge directed toward the corresponding end of the retainer, said collars being adapted to telescopically engage with the corresponding collars on adjacent retainers upon an interengagement of the male and female-joining ends thereon, and means associated with said collars for interconnecting a pair of telescoped collars.
 5. A retainer for floating debris and the like comprising an elongated skirt having upper and lower edges, a float section defined longitudinally along the upper edge of the skirt, and a ballast section defined longitudinally along the lower edge of the skirt, said retainer being formed of an elongated flexible sheet longitudinally folded to define a skirt forming pair of adjacent panels bounded along the upper edges by a longitudinally extending enlarged float material-receiving pocket constituting a portion of the float section, and a relatively smaller longitudinally extending ballast-receiving pocket along the lower edges of the panels, said second pocket constituting a portion of the ballast section, means for securing the skirt-defining panels together along substantially the full length thereof, said retainer including opposed joining ends adapted for telescopic engagement with similarly formed ends on adjacent retainers, said retainer including a pair of cooperating securing collars, one collar mounted on and surround the float section adjacent each end of the retainer, said collars each having an inner edge fixed to the float section and unsecured outer edge directed toward the corresponding end of the retainer, said collars being adapted to telescopically engage with the corresponding collars on adjacent retainers upon an interengagement of the joining ends thereon, and means associated with said collars for interconnecting a pair of telescoped collars.
 6. The retainer of claim 5 wherein the opposed ends constitute a male end and a female end, said float means, ballast and securing means terminating short of the female-joining end for enabling the reception of the male-joining end therein.
 7. A retainer for floating debris and the like comprising an elongated skirt having upper and lower edges, a float section defined longitudinally along the upper edge of the skirt, and a ballast section defined longitudinally along the lower edge of the skirt, said retainer including opposed joining ends adapted for telescopic engagement with similarly formed ends on adjAcent retainers, said retainer including a pair of cooperating securing collars, one collar mounted on and surrounding the float section adjacent each end of the retainer, said collars each having an inner edge fixed to the float section and an unsecured outer edge directed toward the corresponding end of the retainer, said collars being adapted to telescopically engage with the corresponding collars on adjacent retainers upon an interengagement of the joining ends thereon, and means associated with said collars for interconnecting a pair of telescoped collars.
 8. A retainer for floating debris, said retainer comprising an elongated depending skirt having upper and lower edges, a float section defined longitudinally along the upper edge of the skirt, a ballast section defined longitudinally along the lower edge of the skirt, a first male-joining end defined at one end of said retainer, a second female-joining end defined at the second end of the retainer, said female-joining end being of a size and configuration so as to telescopically receive the male end of an adjoining retainer, means associated with said ends for interconnecting a pair of telescoped ends, said retainer being formed of elongated flexible sheet means defining the skirt, a longitudinally extending pocket constituting a portion of the float section and a relatively smaller longitudinally extending pocket constituting a portion of the ballast section, said float section pocket being coextensive with the length of the retainer and of a constant cross section throughout the length thereof, said ballast section pocket commencing at the male end of the retainer and terminating short of the female end of the retainer at a point generally corresponding to the inner limit of the female end, said ballast pocket being of substantially constant cross section throughout its length, float means received within said float section pocket, and ballast means received within said ballast section pocket, said float means and said ballast means being substantially coextensive with the ballast section pocket, terminating short of the female end of the retainer. 